I first saw Tide Table at SFMOMA in grad school, and it’s haunted me ever since. Trying to imagine William Kentridge’s process led me to create my own animation for my master’s thesis. But that was only an initial experimentation. Currently I’m planning another animated piece, also inspired by him, but still miles away from his expert technique.
Kentridge uses stop motion photography, combined with drawing and erasing charcoal, to produce these gorgeous films. It’s painstaking but he’s really created this unique expression that I think fits his story perfectly.
His subjects are often dark, as he lived through South African apartheid, but somehow he shines a light into his characters too. He’s one of my artistic heros, and I just thought I’d share some of my inspiration. Enjoy π
